April 22, 2013

The bass was bumping, colorful lights were flashing, sweaty bodies were dancing, and Rachel Amber was utterly bored. The gorgeous dirty blonde sat alone at the far end of the popup bar, nursing a nearly empty cosmopolitan through a straw as her hands typed away at her phone:

"BORED AS FUCK WHEN YOU COMING"

She hit send, then opened the phone's web browser to look up the latest entertainment news. A loud boorish voice, young and male, sounded behind her.

"Hey Rachel babe, this DJ fucking rocks, you're missing out! Wanna get a groove on?"

The voice and words sounded mostly like Logan, but he could have been Zachary, Fenton, Dexter, or any of the Blackwell jocks, Rachel honestly thought they all sounded the same. She didn't bother to look back to check, as she started to read a feature on Natalie Portman.

She did make sure to say, loudly and clearly, "Get the fuck out of my face."

Now, everyone knew that Rachel was the queen of Blackwell and, 99% of the time, she was the coolest chick around, the most fun chick to hang out with, a shapely bundle of laughs and smiles. However, everyone also knew that, 1% of the time, she was a moody unapproachable bitch who didn't give a fuck about anybody or anything and would tell this to your face if you tried to talk to her. Apparently tonight was 1% Rachel.

He didn't say anything at first, as she felt the male presence immediately boil with anger behind her. She could feel a hand raise up, linger over her shoulder as if to seize her, spin her around, demand her full attention.

The hand held pause, however, and a crooked grin crossed her mouth as her eyes took in the name of Natalie's upcoming movie. The big boy was thinking, probably thinking as hard as he could if he were indeed Logan, about the last time someone put his hands on Rachel Amber.

It had been about three months ago, at another similar party hosted by both Nathan Prescott and Victoria Chase. Rachel had showed up just like tonight, hoping to run into someone new and interesting. But like tonight, no dice. She had ended up in a corner with Chloe, where they just yakked about whatever. Some random generic handsome guy from a nearby college wanted to dance with her, or maybe with Chloe if Rachel weren't up to it. Rachel told him to fuck off before Chloe could cuss him out. The drunk young man blew up in her face, grabbed her by the shoulder with his right hand, spun her around, and yelled that no little bitch talked to him like that. Chloe promptly broke a beer bottle over his head, not really hurting him, but sufficiently enraging him that everyone took notice of the ruckus and others intervened. Nathan sided with Rachel of course, told the guy to get the fuck out and go back to wherever he came from. The guy left after a few choice words for Blackwell students in general, storming down the sidewalk to find a taxi presumably.

He never made it back home that night. The following morning, a jogger found the man horribly beaten to within inches of death. His left hand was intact, but his right hand, the hand he'd grabbed Rachel with, was horribly mangled, all five fingers broken backwards, a couple of the carpal bones poking out from the back of his hand. He still talked with a slur and still walked with a limp, last anyone heard. Questions were asked, no suspects were named. Rachel's father denied any involvement on behalf of his office and local law enforcement, and that was the truth. Rachel knew who had done this, but she played the part of the innocent victim flawlessly. In the end, the incident just served to reaffirm everyone's belief that you didn't mess with the DA's daughter.

Tonight, the young man's hand pulled back to his side. "Whatever," the voice muttered. Then the male presence left to find more willing fruit. The stink of his cologne faded.

Rachel's phone suddenly vibrated as a text arrived, and she swiped to her text app.

"STIL WIT MOM N STEPDUCHE. SERVICE SLO AS SHIT FOOD TAKIN 4EVER".

She grinned and typed back, "SAVE ME FROM THIS SHIT".

"YOULL LIVE HOLD UR HORSES"

"SAVING A SEAT FOR U HURRY UP"

With that, Rachel swiped back to the Portman article. The bro had been right about one thing, at least. The music was bumping and her foot tapped against one of the legs of the tall stool she sat upon. She couldn't wait for Chloe to show up so they could hit the dance floor together. Make the boys get stiffies, make the girls all jealous.

Another boy slid up to the bar now, sitting two seats over from her. This one was an actual friend, so Rachel bothered to look up and smile hello.

"Hey Nathan, what's going on."

"Hey Rache, nothing much." Nathan Prescott had an unopened bottle of Guiness in one hand and a freshly shaken cosmo in the other. He set the cosmo down and nudged it in her direction. "In case you want a refill."

This was maybe the twentieth party which she and Nathan had been a part of, and this was hardly the first time Nathan had brought her a drink. So she didn't think twice as she grinned and reached to pull the cosmo over to her side. "You read my mind. Thanks."

"No problem." He cracked open his bottle, took a swig, then plunked it down on the counter. "Man, this party kinda sucks."

Rachel laughed. "Well, it's your party last I checked!"

"Hey, Victoria was the one who pushed for this one, not me! I just pitched in, that's all." Nathan shrugged. "She wants to use this as a launchpad for resurrecting the Vortex club."

"Really? Oh, that Victoria." She sighed as she took her first sip from the cosmo. "Everything she does just has to have a reason behind it."

"Yeah." Nathan rested his chin on the top of the bottle. "It's a plus for her, though. She has her goals, she knows what she wants, and she goes for them."

"True, true." Rachel rested her chin on a propped up hand now, her mesmerizing eyes gazing into his. "What about you, Nathan Prescott? Got anything big and new on the horizon for yourself?"

"Not really, same old stuff, I guess. Dad's still got his plans for his business, our family, this town. Right now, I'm just counting down the days til we graduate."

Rachel hadn't expected a different answer from him. Poor Nathan. She did nod at his last line, however, and she lifted up her glass. "Amen to that. To graduation day."

He rose his bottle to her glass. "A-fucking-men." They clinked glass to bottle, then drank, each downing another gulp. Then they set their drinks back down and shared a comfortable silence. Just two troubled rich kids who seemingly had everything they could ever want.

Nathan then perked up as a thought came to light, and a genuine winsome smile brightened his face, a far cry from the usual guarded expression which he wore around most others. "Actually, you know what? I've been thinking of doubling down on the photography class I'm taking right now with Mr. Jefferson! It's the first class I've ever been truly excited about, truly inspired by, and I'm seriously thinking that if I have a talent for it, I'm gonna make it my major in college!"

Rachel wore a careful smile at the mention of Mr. Jefferson, and her heart beat a little faster. "Oh really? That's great!"

"Yeah! I mean, I've always wanted others to see the world as how I see it, express myself and my beliefs, my understandings! There seriously isn't a better way for me to convey this than through photography! Framing my perspective however I want, having other people share my perspective through a common lens! It's perfect for me!"

The eighteen year old Nathan now looked like an eight year old who had just received a puppy on Christmas Day, and Rachel smiled wide at his genuine enthusiasm. He really was disarmingly cute when he was relaxed, open, happy. So unfortunate he was unable to shake himself free from his father's shadow, she might have pursued him otherwise. Then again, she also had more than a sneaking suspicion that he was gay, due to the complete lack of sexual tension whenever they interacted. Not that this bothered her in the slightest bit. If anything, she enjoyed having a boy she could freely shoot the shit with. The comfort they shared was why he was pretty much the only Blackwell boy allowed to buy a drink for her.

She grinned and wiggled the half-empty cosmo before her. "That's awesome! Then I'm guessing that photo shoot we did a couple weeks ago went over real well with the critics!"

"Oh, you wouldn't even believe the response we got from Mr. Jefferson! I mean, he's usually an enthusiastic guy, but he was downright fucking effusive when he saw the photos we'd done! He said I definitely had an eye capable of making it to the big shows and, oh, and he said you were a fucking A+ model as well. A freaking natural in front of the lens! He said it ain't easy to make modeling look so effortless, but you did!"

She glowed from the rave reviews, even though she had already heard them a couple nights ago from the mouth of the reviewer himself, and she instinctively fluffed out her hair with the air of a prized peacock. "Well, I'm glad it worked out so well! And yeah, that was a ton of fun! I mean, I've sat for family photos, school photos, photo booths, shit like that, but it really is thrilling to have someone capture you, and only you, with an actual aesthetic in mind."

"I know, right?" Nathan took another swig from his bottle. "Hey, we should do another shoot sometime! Like, I dunno, next week or something! Last time we were out in the blazing sun, this time I've been thinking that it might be cool to do something during sunset, ya know? With the day dying while the night settles in? This time of year, a sunset brings forth a whole spectrum of color you can't capture anytime else!"

"Oh?" Rachel's smile dampened a bit at his suggestion, but she kept on smiling. "Well, the shoot was fun, no doubt about it, but I dunno if I have the time right now to do another full fledged shoot."

Nathan's easy smile visibly cracked at her subdued words, but he kept on smiling as well. "Aw really?"

"Yeah," she helplessly smiled and shrugged. "I mean, if you want to snag a photo or two after a school day, I'm down for that anytime! But not a three or four hour session like last time, I just can't do it." Another appeasing smile. "Sorry."

He threw his hands up in exasperation. "Man, Rache, you're killing me! What've you doing these days anyway? We've been seeing less and less of you, everyone's wondering where you've been!"

"Mmm, just working on a few things, no biggie. Looking to the future after graduation and Blackwell."

"Oh, like college apps and stuff?"

She nodded. "Oh yeah, those are definitely on my plate right now."

Nathan knew Rachel well enough to notice her half-answer, but he let it go because he could afford to. He sighed and rested his chin on the top of his bottle once more. "All right, all right, I was afraid you weren't gonna be available, but it's all good. Just let me know when your schedule opens up, and we'll blow everyone away again. Heck, forget posting them online, maybe we can even submit to publications!"

She knew that he knew, but she was glad nonetheless that he didn't push further. She could always count on Nathan to give her space. "Sounds like a plan, Stan. But still, keep on taking photos even when I'm not around! You really do have a gift for that stuff and, if you're looking for models, I'm sure anyone would be honored to have you snapping shots of them!"

"Yeah, I know, I've been taking photos of other people as well. But, ya know, you're motherfucking Rachel Amber!"

She had to laugh openly at that. "That's right, Nate, and don't you fucking forget it!"

His easy grin was back now and he whipped out his phone. "Yo, at least let me steal a picture of us right here and now. I wanna be able to look back and say that this party wasn't a total waste of time."

"Oh my god, fine!" Rachel's big smile belied her exasperated words, however, as she brushed back a stray hair or two and patted the seat next to her. "Just one, though!"

"Deal!" He grinned as he scooted over next to her, and they leaned into each other, smiling big as he held out his phone to snap a selfie. "On the count of one, two, three! Rachel and me!"

"Oh my god, Nate, you're such a nerd!"

"Dude, you talked during the photo!" He pulled the phone to himself to look at the selfie he'd just taken. "Ruined! Totally ruined!"

"It is not ruined, what are you talking about!" She peered over his shoulder now. "Okay, my mouth might be a teeny bit blurry. But I still look totally hot!"

He placed a thinking man's finger against his chin as he rotated his phone screen this way and that. "Hmm, I dunno, Rache. I think you owe me a do-over."

"Oh my god, you total super duper nerd!" She give his shoulder a playful shove. "It's just a selfie, not a Pulitzer entry – oh whoa."

The world around her suddenly became muffled, distant. She lost her balance and pitched face first into Nathan's back. Fatigue and sleepiness overwhelmed the lightweight girl as she vaguely sensed him turning to hold her upright. Her lithe limbs had all the sturdiness of wet noodles, and her eyelids were as heavy as sheets of lead, like the lead blanket she had worn during an X-ray when she was ten, while her father and stepmother had waited anxiously in the other room.

She managed to grab onto his left shoulder for a moment, clinging to him for support. "Nate, I... I don't feel so good - "

Then her eyes rolled back and she was out.

Nathan quickly looked around to see if anyone was watching. Nobody was, or at least nobody was staring right at them. He immediately slung her arm over his neck, put an arm around her waist, and shuffled with her toward a side entrance, trying to hide the fact that he was carrying her entire body weight. To the casual observer, just another wasted high school girl being helped outside to grab a breath of fresh air, or maybe puke in a back alley, something along those lines. A more concerned observer might have wondered why the girl wasn't being taken to the restroom instead, or one of the numerous open sofas lying about the bar, but the Vortex Club didn't concern themselves with such matters.

"I'm sorry, Rache, I really am," Nathan whispered under his breath as he pushed open the side door with his foot. "But you owe me another shoot."

To Be Continued

Author's Note: Phew, this chapter was dark, unlike the first one! I didn't plan on doing a total 180 from the first chapter, but as the chapter unfolded, it just felt right to keep the tone dark. So yeah, this is my spin on the initial sequence of events during the night that Rachel "disappeared". This Nathan isn't as visibly unhinged as he was in LiS, since it was probably the accidental overdose of Rachel which pushed him over the edge. This Nathan is more low key, a predator who lulls his victims into a sense of security rather than just brandishing a gun and shouting down all who antagonize him. I also had to slide in those creepy Jefferson references because Jefferson is a legit creep!

Also, quick responses to the reviews left behind for the previous chapter :D

Xemtlenc - Yeah, the panties thing is a total ripoff from anime, hah. I've got my ideas about what Eliot and others might do with those panties, hold your horses!

Kabaneri - Thanks, glad you're liking it so far!

st2439 - Haha, I know right? It's always the quiet ones...